Fantasy Football 2006: Tight Ends

(This is the fifth of a seven-part series on fantasy football. In this series, the Corner looks at draft strategies and ranks the top players for every position. Today we rate the top tight ends.)

Welcome back to our continuing look at fantasy football 2006. In the fourth part of this series, we looked at and rated the top 20 wide receivers in the league. Today we turn our attention to the tight ends.

Tight ends can and should be drafted in the later rounds, unless an Antonio Gates or Tony Gonzalez are available. If one of those is still around by the sixth round, then you might consider pulling the trigger. If not, you can still find solid tight ends later in the draft.

Here's the Corners rankings of the top 20 tight ends in fantasy football for 2006:

1. Antonio Gates - San Diego Chargers
2. Tony Gonzalez - Kansas City Chiefs
3. Jeremy Shockey - New York Giants
4. Todd Heap - Baltimore Ravens
5. Jason Witten - Dallas Cowboys
6. Alge Crumpler - Atlanta Falcons
7. Randy McMichael - Miami Dolphins
8. Chris Cooley - Washington Redskins
9. Vernon Davis - San Francisco 49ers
10. L.J. Smith - Philadelphia Eagles
11. Kellen Winslow Jr. - Cleveland Browns
12. Jerramy Stevens - Seattle Seahawks
13. Jermaine Wiggins - Minnesota Vikings
14. Heath Miller - Pittsburgh Steelers
15. Dallas Clark - Indianapolis Colts
16. Ben Troupe - Tennessee Titans
17. Ben Watson - New England Patriots
18. Marcus Pollard - Detroit Lions
19. Alex Smith - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
20. Zach Hilton - New Orleans Saints

Sleeper: Alex Smith
Overrated: Winslow
Rookies to watch: Davis, Joe Klopfenstein, St. Louis Rams; Marcedes Lewis, Jacksonville Jaguars; Anthony Fasano, Dallas Cowboys; Tony Scheffler, Denver Broncos; and Leonard Pope, Arizona Cardinals.

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